DrillsAndSkills.com

[Kassiane]

After peeling repeatedly off the bars, and the last extra SPECIAL peel that would have been a broken neck if I didnt have the "tuck and flip" reflex, I decided that the coach who told me that the air bubble on palm guards is a good thing (no) and too big is better than too small (no again, not THAT too big) is an utter moron, I decided to order a new pair of palm guards. No dowels for me...

But since the size chart was wrong last time, I called to make SURE the sizing was right. The guy started out all sarcastic (I get this a LOT, sounding 8, looking 14...) and insisting the chart was right. Then I rattled off my email, his email, the old chart, the new chart, and all the charts in the catalog. Yeah. Mention photographic memory and narrowly averted catastrophic injury because of inaccurate info when they say the info is up to date...suddenly they get reallllllly nice.

But still stupid. What frightens me most is what little grasp he has of the hand proportions of most people. Or that an inch in palm difference is a lot, given that palms are a small body part. How can you tell someone they wear a medium PALM GUARD, then that they have monster hands??
Yeah, me and my 3 inch fingers, 3.5 inch palms *eyeroll*.

And THAT is why I will not buy dowels. EVER.
_________________
Putting the women back in women's gymnastics...

[Coach Blair]

For the skills you're working, Kassiane, I really doubt you need dowel grips. In bar work will change a bit when you switch to dowels eventually.
Eventually, when you do giants you'll have to switch over to dowels. If memory serves, you're around 5'4 and 125? While small yes in comparison to other women out there, that isn't really small by gymnastic sense.
While other countries out there don't let their women use grips, I'm not sure if this is because of their dimunitive side or what. It could be that they just train their grip to be extremely strong. That would be the long road if you don't want to use dowel grips, Kassiane. As well, I know a few female coaches who occasionally swing giants without grips though I'm not sure if they used them in their heyday ( given their US, probably ).

[Kassiane]

I'm 5'4"-5'5" depending on what time of day they measure me, 125-130 pounds, solid. Romanian/Croatian/Hun and look it. Or something. That's what my roommate the ethnophysiology geek says.

I don't like the dowels because I like to feel the bar with my fingers. I don't even LIKE using the palm guards but it's that or rip the skin clear off my hands (both of them) with ONE hip circle or tap swing. My grandmother called me a wuss but she doesn't have stretchy skin so she can start training and show me how it's done, or she can let me have my stupid $8.50 palm guards.

I ALSO am not a big fan of the dowels because of the COST and because if the guy who MAKES them doesn't understand normal hand proportions (which I do not have, ANOTHER reason they make me leery) then...well...I don't know if he should have my $50. And if I peel so badly in the too-blinkin-big palm guards (which were doing the dowel thing), but not at all bare handed (I just bleed all over creation), wouldn't dowels make the peeling problem worse? Deathgrip I have no problem with...peeling sent me to the hospital...

And, well, I am extraordinarily CHEAP.

Kassiane
who hates peeling and hates spending unneccesary money adn is annoyed that she would have probably made her babygiant if her grips fit...instead made the world's UGLIEST flyaway and almost had to have an injection & all kinds of other hysteria & an ankle injury, bleh
_________________
Putting the women back in women's gymnastics...

[Coach Blair]

Do you have itty bitty hands or not. I don't have huge hands say compared to TipGuy. Tall giants with basketball hands. I can feel right now that without dowel grips on rings, my swing has to be non tap until I either develop a grip of death or get dowel grips. I don't think there are non dowel grips for rings out there.

Really, Frank Endo isn't in your neck of the woods but give them a call or email and they'll set ya up with some nice Reisports that are worth your 50. I bought a cheaper pair of grips after my Reisports were one size too small according to one chart. While at first they were keen, they ended up just being too soft on High Bar to keep shape. I, actually prefer to swing bare handed than use those things. They allow me to work longer but I can't really swing in them. Bare in mind Frank Endo Jr's dad introduced grips to the states. So, they might know something. I've heard good things about Bulldogs; but Reisports are know as the primo.

Slamming down for grips is something I'm cheap about too. For awhile my shoulders were too mussed up too really care. 100 bucks for 2 pair of reisports, hurts. Then again, swinging without grips tears them up too.

From the sound of this grip yahoo, I wouldn't deal with him at all. I don't reccomend you bring up the name here. More than likely he's just a vendor.

A lot of gymnastics apparatus is conditioning your hands and keeping your callouses low. A guy in the adult class does massage for a living so that means basically he can look at swinging apparatus and rip...bad. Has to do with the oils, though a bit is getting his hands preconditioned to apparatus. Then again, I don't think sandpaper hands would be that great for massage.

All in all, I don't think females need grips unless they're doing giants. Baby giants, well I hate that skill and understand why they're worked, but don't like it all in all. Yet, we get them into grips in Level 5 I think more so to get used to them.
If they're really swinging big in L6, maybe I can understand grips. Or for the bigger girls ( by gymnastics terms, I mean you. Above 5 feet and a 100 pounds ).

I don't think dowel grips are gonna make you rip any more than non dowel grips unless you're not hooking in properly. If you're not hooking in properly, it'll rip ya bad.

[Kassiane]

At this point I'm more worried about peeling-I've got this cool collagen protein thing where I'm really flexible, and my skin stretches, which is mostly just really cool, except my skin just ADHERES to the bar and then I lose half my palm once I grip-shift. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Amanar, Presecan, lots of non-tiny Romanians did bars without grips. But their skin didn't tear off in sheets, that's the reason for the ripping, and it's going to happen if I wear tape, palm guards or dowels. Not life threatening, just MESSY.

But the peeling is a problem. And I have a 3 1/2 inch palm, 3 inch fingers (deviates from normal proportions, and the Reisport knockoffs have me between a 1 and a 2. sounds better than Medium I suppose...), so switching grip types before Ive at least done a stalder on the strap bar (and that IS how we're teaching me giants, we think) is rather scary. I want to break through at least ONE set of grips without nearly breaking me first.

And the baby giant is good for those of us who need another skill for our rec-op routines and really SUCK on bars *nods*

Kassiane
_________________
Putting the women back in women's gymnastics...

[Coach Blair]

Actually that's my opinion of the baby giant/swinging long hang pullover. Basically for those who can't do a giant and need something instead. I really wish they would take it out of Level 6 boys and girls, but then what is the question. I've heard that it's done to get over the fear of going high over the bar and it probably is good somewhat as in an in between...I guess. Bleh.

Ahh, doing stalders? Do ya have the hip flexors for it? I guess you have worked sole circles around then.

In any case, welcome to the tiny hands department. I've got a 4 inch palm and 3 inch fingers. I'm fairly sure some of the preteens/teens on team have hands my size if they're not already taller than me.

[Victoria]

I guess I have small hands too (4 inch palm and 3 inch fingers) although I never paid attention to the measurements before. I really don't care for palm guards. When I was competing as a kid, dowel grips did not exist for women, so it was palm guards or nothing and I chose nothing. When I got to be in my twenties, I got my first pair of dowel grips and I instantly loved them (and my swing improved too!). My feeling is that the grips maybe can help prevent peeling but they are not a guarantee because I've peeled off the bars no matter what I'm wearing (dowel grips, no grips, palm guards). Good technique and grip strength helps reduce accidents but sometimes mistakes happen and even the best of grips can't keep someone on the bar.

[Kassiane]